This invention relates to the clutch of a beach buggy, particularly to one capable to let the outer cover of the clutch activated to rotate slowly together with the transmission gear when the engine is started so that the shifting gear can easily mesh with the transmission gear. When gear shifting begins, probability and speed of engagement between these two gears are increased, preventing the beach buggy from abrupt rushing when accelerated.
A conventional beach buggy, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a transmission device having a drive disk 10 driven to rotate by the engine of a beach buggy and a clutch 20. The clutch 20 has a fixed groove wheel 21 and a sliding groove wheel 22 pushed to closely press the fixed groove wheel 21 by a spring 26, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, with a belt 23 fitted in between the two groove wheels 21, 22 and connected to the drive disk 10 so as to let the drive disk 10 rotate together with the clutch 20. Further, an actuating member 24 is positioned adjacent to the sliding groove wheel 22, capable to be rotated by a hollow shaft 210 protruding out from the fixed groove wheel 21, as shown in FIG. 2. The actuating member 24 has its circumferential edge provided with a plurality of curved members 240 arranged in a circle and one end of each curved member 240 is pivotally connected with the actuating member 24 and the other end is a free end, having a lining 241 secured on the outer wall of each curved member 240, so that the free ends of the curved members 240 are able to expand outward when the actuating member 24 rotates, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5.
Then, an outer cover 25 is positioned outside the actuating member 24 and the hollow shaft 210 of the fixed groove wheel 21, having an annular inward flange 250 covering around the actuating member 24, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, when accelerated, the actuating member 24 rotates fast and the free ends of the curved members 240 will expand outward due to a centrifugal force, letting the linings 241 contact with the inward flange 250 of the outer cover 25 and the actuating member 24 rotate together with the outer cover 25, as shown in FIG. 5. In addition, the outer cover 25 is provided with a ratchet hole 251 in the center for receiving a drive shaft 252 so that the outer cover 25 can rotate together with the drive shaft 252, which also drives the transmission gear to rotate. Thus, when gear shifting begins one of the transmission gears meshes with the gear rotated by the drive shaft 252, and the beach buggy will begin to run forward or backward after being accelerated.
However, the conventional transmission device described above has the following defects.
1. When the engine of a beach buggy is started but not accelerated, the actuating rotator 24 of the clutch 20 cannot rotate fast and there isn""t a centrifugal force large enough to push the curved members 240 to expand outward so that the outer cover 25 unable to contact with the linings 241 on the curved members 240 cannot be activated to rotate nor the transmission gear of the drive shaft 252. Thus, when carrying on gear shifting (whether the car is running forward or backward), one of the transmission gears keeps rotating but the gear driven by the drive shaft 252 remains still, failing to engage each other immediately and resulting in frictional creaking.
2. If accelerated at this time, the linings 241 on the free ends of the curved members 241 of the actuating member 24 will immediately contact with the inward flange 250 of the outer cover 25, as shown in FIG. 5, and the outer cover 25 of the clutch 20 will synchronously rotate fast together with the drive shaft 252 as well as the transmission gear. But, in case the transmission gear and the shifting gear immediately mesh with each other at this moment, the car will abruptly rush forward fast, endangering the driver himself and other persons.
This invention is devised to offer the clutch of a beach buggy, possible to let the shifting gear mesh with the transmission gear very fast and prevent the beach buggy from rushing forward abruptly.